Warriors Writing Competition - Beyond the Stars

Chapter 2- @captainhamster

Owlflight stared as a pair of warriors were ordered to drag the strange tom cat out of camp, their fangs digging into his scruff as they fought to repress his jerking. Sunlight warped their battle scarred pelts, dark tabby markings glowing golden in the few shafts of light, hiding the hairless cat to the shadows as he jerked his head to Owlflight, hazel eyes burning in rage.
     "Stay away; you're demise will come soon as sun fall!"
     With that, the pair of warriors squeezed through the bramble exit, lashing their tails. The black tabby molly shifted on stumbling paws, turning to face a seething Sloestar already padded to her side. Sloestar had always been the shortest in the Clan despite her expert fighting ability, her ear tips scarcely met Owlflight's shoulder. With muted amusement, Owlflight realized CinderClan's newest apprentice Lionpaw even towered over the well muscled leader. That subsided quickly as her pointed Amber eyes bore into Owlflight's hazel ones, slipping from her maw.
     "Have you had prior warning of this?" Her words dripped with venom as she spoke, tail waving high in he air as if to show her nobility.
     Her mind flitted to her deceased kin. "Willowkit came to me when I visited the Moonrock, and he warned me. Though I did not think it would've meant this," Owlflight's voice cracked at the mention of Willowkit earning a pitied glance from Sloestar.
     "Tell me of StarClan wishes to speak any more,"  Sloestar chose her words carefully, nitpicking around jagged ones for Owlflight. "Check Dustclaw and Lichenfang for injuries when they return and send them straight to me afterwards."

"He bit you?" Owlflight's gentle paws prodded the wound on Lichenfang's shoulder hidden by thick, silver fur, lathering a thick marigold poultice into the bite marks. Clotted blood edged nearby claw marks that raked along his flanks, glowing in the distorted light within the medicine den.
     "Luckily it isn't too deep," the black tabby mewed, tidying up the cobweb. "You're all good to go. Sloestar wants to talk with you about. . . him. . . but other than that just take it easy for a while."
      "Doubt Lichenfang knows what it's like to sit back and relax," Dustclaw snorted, yellow eyes flash insight love for the fluffy silver tomcat. "But I'll make sure he does. Thank you, Owlflight. May StarClan light your path."
      "May StarClan light your path," Owlflight murmured back, hazel eyes watching the duo leaving the slate cavern. Low hanging moss swished as they slipped through, paws leaving marks on the soft sand that covered the hollow.
    
"Stay away; your demise will come as soon as sun fall!"
     Owlflight tilted her head back into a yawn, maw agape with pearly teeth flashing, her mind roving over the strange hairless tomcat from earlier. Everything about the tom had been suspicious; ranging from his rampant seizures to his bulging eyes. Frothy foam descended from his mouth as he spat meaningless words, claws fixed onto tearing through something as if they had a mind of their own. Owlflight shook her head before padding out of her den with whisker's twitching.
     It would be best if Sloestar had let him stay, the medicine cat padded fired into the warm sunlight, hazel eyes grazing over the nursery, he could barley walk, let alone hunt!

"Leader's word is law," Leafstripe placed the bundle of cobweb on the smooth granite ledge, his dark brown pelt blending into the shade. "A warrior must follow the word of our leader no matter what, Owlpaw."
     "Even if absurd? There must be some line drawn," quirked Owlpaw.
     Leafstripe paused before shrugging. "Our duty is to heal, young one. That is what we must do: save the life of a sickly cat."

     Owlflight's gaze pawed through the thick canopy, And so I will.